Action Images / Jason Cairnduff Livepic
Ashley Cole is arguably the best left-back in England's history, and he played with some of the greatest leaders during his playing days.
The height of his career perhaps came at Chelsea, where he won the UEFA Champions League and the Premier League. He joined the Blues from Arsenal in controversy after claiming that he'd been made a scapegoat by the Gunners' hierarchy.
Cole had already established himself as one of the best full-backs in Europe when he headed to Stamford Bridge. He joined a team that was in the midst of the most successful period in the club's history.
While a move to his boyhood club's arch rivals ruined his relationship with the North Londoners' fanbase, he fulfilled his dream of becoming a European champion. He did so alongside John Terry, his skipper for club and country, and for many, the greatest defender in top-flight history.
At the time, the English contingent in the squad formed a close bond, and perhaps friendship is why Cole deems neither Terry nor Frank Lampard the greatest leader he played with.
Ashley Cole Reveals The Best Leader He Played With
Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl Recine Livepic
Terry and Lampard were part of the leadership group at Chelsea, and as the years progressed during his spell at Stamford Bridge, Cole earned the captain's armband on occasion. He had been surrounded by strong characters throughout his career but he feels one stood out more than the rest.
In a Q&A with The Overlap, Cole was asked questions about his teammates and one of them focused on the best leader. He responded: "Tony Adams."
Cole had only just broken into the Arsenal senior team when Tony Adams entered the latter stages of his career. He came across one of the grittiest defenders in English football who kept his troops in line with fierce vocal authority and a winning mentality.
Adams made 669 appearances for the Gunners and remained with the club his entire career. He skippered the North London outfit to four Premier League titles, including in 2001-02 when Cole first got his hands on the title.
George Graham appointed Adams as captain in 1988 and Wenger was more than happy to keep him in the role. The French tactician explained why the Englishman had all the credentials to be a perfect skipper:
"He was a mixture of a laid-back player who was very fierce and strong pride. He could always find that when he was bad like he had a bad ankle you wondered if he could play at the day of a competition."
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Tony Adams' Career Appearances Goals
Arsenal (All Competitions) 669 48
— Premier League (1992–2002) 255 12
— Football League First Division (1983–1992) 249 20
England 66 5
In another interview with FlashScore in January 2026, Cole highlighted Adams and Martin Keown as two players who influenced him:
"They had a huge impact on me, both as a player and as a person. I learned about leadership, tactical awareness and what a strong culture looks like. They had lived and breathed the game. Now, in my coaching career, I draw on those lessons and try to lead using the characteristics I learned from them."
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Adams retired in May 2002, calling time on a 19-year career at Arsenal and he had helped Wenger lay the foundations for the Gunners to achieve the unthinkable. Two years later, Cole not only won his second title but did so as part of the Invincibles, the only team in Premier League history to go the entire season unbeaten.
'Last of The Old Guard' - Adams on Cole's Arsenal Exit
Tony Adams
Cole's controversial move from Arsenal to Chelsea remains a hot topic of discussion whenever his name comes up. While he has since placed the blame on the club's higher-ups, he has failed to make amends with the Gunners fanbase who feel he betrayed them.
Adams' stance on Cole's exit focused more on what the club lost at the time, pointing out how the defence weakened once he and Sol Campbell departed. He told Inside Futbol in 2015:
"When Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole left they were the last of the old guard who understood how to defend and prioritise that department. I think that when they left there was no one else that understood that and the club hasn’t been the same defensively since they left."
Tony Adams
Tony Adams
Arsenal endured a difficult period following Cole's departure, failing to win the title for 22 years until becoming champions last season. Mikel Arteta has a new defence brimming with talent and leaders including Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.